Combined dry mounting press and print drier



COMBINED DRY MOUNTING PRESS AND PRINT DRIER Filed July 8, 1954 E. RICHMAN July 23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l I 1 VENTOR. m M

COMBINED DRY MOUNTING PRESS AND PRINT DRIER Filed July 8, 1954 E. RICHMAN July 23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

E. RICHMAN 2,799,949

COMBINED DRY MOUNTING PRESS AND PRINT DRIER July 23, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 8, 1954 W/ o w Q W 7, a 14. r 4

INVENTOR.

United States Patent COMBINED DRY MOUNTING PRESS AND PRINT DRIER Eli Richman, Quincy, Mass.

Application July 8, 1954, Serial No. 442,026

1 Claim. (Cl. 34-143) in a single, compact, portable press of an upper platen,

with two upward extending sides at'the longitudinal edges of the platen and two transverse members at the front and rear edges of the same platen. These sides are designed to support, and the end members to retain under fiexure, a removable, flexible, drying surface commonly known as a ferrotype tin.

An electrical heating element, properly insulated and fastened to the upper face of this platen is housed within the space formed by the upward extending sides and end members and serves as a common source of heat for both press and drying surface.

To obtain this useful innovation of a drier-press, a very novel use is made of the rear transverse member on the upper platen. This single member serves five separate and distinct purposes and comprises the main difference between this press and the conventional overhead lever presses, by locating the pressure inducing device at the rear of the press, thus releasing the space at the top for the drying area.

I The five functions served by this member are as folows:

(a) A transverse stiffener for the rear end of the upper platen.

(b) A retaining means for the back edge of the ferrotype.

(c) A spring holder for the tensioning cloth covering the ferrotype.

(d) The upper part of a transverse hinge for maintaining the upper and lower parts of the press in correct relation to each other.

(e) Most important, the source of pressure for dry mounting photographs or flattening prints.

Another novel feature of the invention is the addition of a removable tacking iron located in one of the built up longitudinal sides of the upper platen, and heated by the same source serving the press and dryer. This tacking iron is utilized in the initial tacking of the dry mounting tissue to the back of the photograph, prior to operation of the press for completion of the mounting.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel means for seating under flexure, the ferrotype tin in position whereby ready removability for cleaning the ferrotype tin or inspection of the heating elements is provided. The ferrotype tin has a cloth cover related thereto in such a manner that the print while drying will be held securely in place regardless of the position of the upper half of the press.

The machine divides itself primarily, into the supporting frame and lower platen and the hinged upper platen and accompanying drying surface, which latter have 2,799,949 Patented July 23, 1957 ice between them the heating element and the tacking iron. These two parts are hinged at the rear end so that they may be readily brought together or separated and when separated, moved to a position where the upper platen will stay in operative position, vertically, without manual support.

At the front end of the press there are provided olfset spring latching means whereby the two platens may be readily secured together and drawn against each other with increasing pressure by manual operation of a lever handle and oh center pivoted hook mechanism, which is a part of the front transverse member attached to the front end of the upper platen. In order to obtain a clear idea of the press and dryer all the previously mentioned details will be described with the aid of the drawing in which:

a Fig. l is a perspective view of the press, partly open, showing the entire press-drier and its related parts.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the rear right side of the press, with the press in closed position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view at the front left corner of the press showing the method of tightening the cloth cover.

" Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the press, partly open and showing the heating elements exposed.

Extending across the rear of the press, the transverse, partially cylindrical spring 1, has both its front and rear edges rolled upwards and transversely into smaller cylinders as shown. Between the central partly cylindrical portion of this spring and the front rolled up edge there is a fiat section. This flat section is intended to seat against the back upper end of the top platen 2 and is fastened thereto by means of several screws 3 or other suitable means. The rear rolled end of spring 1, serrated along its transverse length to fit and mate into opposite serrations in rolled transverse end of piece 4 and pin-hinged thereto by a suitable rod 5 is fastened by several screws 6 or other suitable means to rear part of press frame 7.

Curved lower end of springs 8 and 9 at the right and left of rolled up front edge of spring 1, are held in position by suitable pins 10 and 11 which are pressed into the rolled front portion of spring 1. The two springs, 8 and 9 however, are free to rotate about the centers of their respective pins. The curved front ends of springs 8 and 9 retain the end of a rod 12 which is passed through a hem at the back end of cloth 13 covering the ferrotype 14. Through a similar hem in the front end of the same cloth is passed another half round rod 15, whose ends extend laterally a short distance beyond the sides of the ferrotype. On these extending ends are handles or finger grips 16 and 17 each of which includes therein a short piece of flat stock 18 having a depending portion 19 with a turned down hook 20.

These hooks are so spaced that they may engage simultaneously the ends of the ferrotype 14 close to its longitudinal edges. In the operation of the dryer the still wet prints are squeegeed on the ferrotype and the ferrotype ends are flexed into place between the rolled edges of the front and rear transverse members, the longitudinal edges of the ferrotype 14, resting on the curved edges of sides 25 and 26 which are secured longitudinally and oppositely to the upper platen, the common heating element 28, being housed between them. The cloth 13 is then brought forward to cover and rest on the wet prints, holding them fiat against the ferrotype. By a forward drag of the finger grips 16 and 17 the cloth cover may be tightly stretched and the hooks 20 brought into engagement with the end of the ferrotype so that the cloth will thereafter be maintained in tight, stretched position until manually released. The short handles 21 on each side of press frame may be utilized to facilitate engagement of the hooks 20 with the ends of the ferrotype. With the press closed the handles 21 may be used as finger fulcrums to drag the cloth forward tightly overv the ferrotype without any tendency to dislodge the press from its normal position.

It is intended that when both platens 2 and 22 are in parallelism and rest upon each other spring 1 is not under any tension. It is also apparent that when upper platen 2 is raised in an upward direction by means of handle 23, spring 1 will act simply as a hinge, rotating about hinge pin 5 thus maintaining the relative positions of the upper and lower halves of the press. When however, material of varying thickness is inserted between the. platens 2 and 22 and manual pressure is brought upon the front end of upper platen 2 through the handle 23 and springlatch hooks 24 are brought into place under lower edge of press frame 7, by swinging handle 23 downwards and then up, spring 1 will distend to accommodate the increase in divergence between the upper and lower platens and will exert an even pressure upon the inserted material in accordance with the designed resistance to such a distension over the entire area of the platen.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it is understood that it is not to be limited thereby but only by the appended claim.

I claim:

A drier press for photographic material comprising an upper platen having a flat, smooth pressing surface on its under side, means for heating said platen, a lower platen having a flat, smooth, upper surface adapted to cooperate with the underside of said upper platen, hinge means connected to said upper and lower platens comprising a transverse partially cylindrical spring having a flat section extending across the rear end of said upper platen and attached thereto, said spring having a rolled end and serrations extending transversely thereof, an end plate attached to said lower platen having a rolled upper edge and mating serrations therein, a hinge pin extending through said serrations, said upper platen being supported onsaid lower platen in fully open position only by said spring, and otfset spring latching means cooperating with said upper and lower'platens at the front ends thereof, whereby said platens may be drawn against each other with increasing pressure when photographic material is placed between them.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 723,654 Curtiss Mar. 24, 1903 1,133,388 Merrill Mar. 30, 1915 1,952,763 LUX Mar. 27, 1934 2,164,614 Lynn July 4, 1939 2,309,527 Nicholas Jan. 26, 1943 

